Five Things - September 9, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can also follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. You may remember that I had to write a short story to workshop at residency for grad school this summer? I ended up crafting a flash fiction horror piece titled “Monster,” a modern day Frankenstein tale with an AI twist. While I’ve written and sold two horror stories in the past, this is not a genre I gravitate towards, and I've never tried to write flash fiction before (a short story under 1000 words). Well, I’m excited to report that Tales to Terrify acquired this awful little gem, and it will feature on their podcast sometime in the next couple of months! I’ll include a link here when it’s out. If you’d like to have a listen to my other horror stories, you can find them here: Goodbye, Charlie (story begins at 18:40), and Lady in Blue (story begins at 16:39).

2. Fall is in the air! My alter ego discussed my feelings on apple pie, pumpkin spice, and productivity on the ‘Dear Maggie’ blog. You can read that post here: It’s Pumpkin Spice Season!. In summary, fall is my most productive writing time, and it’s a good thing because grad school is a lot of work. Of course it is. It’s grad school. But I am no longer a spring chicken, and doing homework late into the night is a thing of the past, so I’ve been even more obsessive about planning my time. The calendar, notebooks, and to-do lists are back in full force! Those who know me understand I live and die by my organizational system, but truly this keeps me sane.

3. One thing, among many, that I love about my work life is the flexibility. I can plan my days and weeks around my personal rhythm to maximize productivity. The downside to this is that sometimes I don’t totally step away for weeks. As this semester kicks into high gear, I’ve committed to taking at least one full day a week completely off from work, school, and all writing related things. Ray and I are back on the road, and there’s so much to see! When we started this journey, we’d rock into town, make a list of all the things we wanted to do, along with the things we needed to accomplish that week, and make a plan. Well, we’re back to that strategy. Last week, we spent a whole day at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, reading in our beach chairs and wandering the boardwalk. This week, we’ve already got tickets to the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian in DC, and reservations at one of our favorite restaurants in Georgetown. Next stop after this, Kentucky and Nashville!

4. Last week was our 31st wedding anniversary! Yes, you read that right. 31 years! We spent it on the beach and enjoyed a relaxing day together (that day off I mentioned above). People ask how we’re doing now that we essentially live in a tiny, mobile home as big as the bedroom in our last house. My reply is that we are having a blast! I feel incredibly grateful to be on this journey, not just the one in the RV but the one through life, with my best friend, partner in crime, and biggest fan. We look back on what we’ve accomplished together and feel gratified. We look ahead at the future we’re building and feel excited. Mostly, though, we look at each other and know we are with the person we want to be with most in the world.

5. “I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Five Things - July 15, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can also follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. We are officially in Rhode Island for the summer! In some ways, it feels like we never left, and in others, I feel a little displaced. It’s home but not really home anymore, if that makes sense? Regardless, summer is in full swing here, and since it’s the Ocean State, I look forward to lazy days on the beach, barbecues with family and friends, music, concerts, and lots of laughter. I know time is going to fly, so I’m attempting to live in the moment, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy it all – just as soon as I get back from residency.

2. Residency is almost here! I’ve completed the rather daunting reading list, caught up on all my assignments, participated in the summer online classes and discussion boards, and I am finishing up the short story due in a few days. I’m really excited to meet my cohort in person and dive into the coursework more deeply. I’ll let you know how it goes.

3. One of the fun things about this grad school program is the discussion board conversations we’ve been having online. We recently had one on vulnerability, something I’ve blogged about many times in the past. I’ll share my small part of the conversation here as I think it’s relevant to all creative types.

   We are not our work, but creative work can feel more personal to us, closer to our hearts. Even when writing genre fiction to entertain our readers, there is still something of ourselves woven into it in a way that's different from other types of work. Layer onto this the fact that in the writing/publishing field there is a very real intersection between art and industry, and that space can be uncomfortable. I've learned I need to behave differently, and think about what I'm doing differently, when I'm creating vs. when I'm working on the business side of things. When I'm writing, I do so with discipline but also with the heart of an artist. I am creating. It's my process. It's my art. I want it to be the best it can be, but I am not thinking about my agent, the publishing house, the current trends, marketing, promo etc. Not yet. But I will think about those things, and I will have to shift my mindset. Rejection is part of the process. Bad sales are an opportunity to learn more about the market. A bad review might have a nugget of truth worth thinking about, or it might be an opportunity to remember my work isn't for everyone. It's always a choice to take things personally, to be upset, angry, frustrated when things don't go as we'd hoped, but it's also a choice to show up and do the work professionally, to be open to learning, and to keep creating.

4. The short story I’m working on is a creepy horror piece. I don’t write a lot of horror but every once in a while the dark side of my brain latches onto an idea, and I can’t let it go. Sinking into that space is a little unnerving, but there’s also something very satisfying about writing outside my comfort zone. I have to share this piece at residency, and I honestly don’t know how it will be received, but I do feel like it will be an opportunity for me to grow as a writer, and that’s the whole point of my new endeavor.

5. "We may never be strong enough to be entirely nonviolent in thought, word, and deed. But we must keep nonviolence as our goal and make strong progress towards it." - Mahatma Gandhi

Monday Musings 1-18-21

January is underway, and I’m diving into my new projects with enthusiasm. Of course, we’re only a couple of weeks in, so the energy that surrounds something new is still at play. I’ve learned to take advantage of this feeling and capitalize on what I call ‘the shiny new object’ effect. I can get a lot accomplished at this time of year.

Of course, this is also the time I’m tempted to say yes to everything that comes my way. Then, I’m often sorry when March rolls around and I’m overcommitted. I don’t want to dull the shine of my own enthusiasm, or lose the momentum of the moment, but I also need to stay focused and committed to the projects I’ve signed on for. So, what’s the key to balancing the tension between these two gestures?

For me, one trick is to look for places to pause.

As a writer, pacing is an important part of storytelling. If I overwhelm my readers with one action scene after another, or too many intense emotional scenes without a break, they’ll be exhausted. Conversely, if I don’t create enough dramatic tension and excitement, the story sags and readers will flip the pages in boredom. Finding timely pauses in the action or emotion gives readers a much-needed breather. It gives them a moment to process what’s happened. A timely pause makes for effective storytelling. If you’re a writer, here’s more on pacing your story, including the use of pauses: Pacing Pitfalls and Tips to Tackle Them.

This idea of appreciating the pause translates well into a life practice. When I find moments to stop and breathe, I have more clarity, more energy, and better discernment going forward. I’ve made it a habit now to pause before I say yes to something new. I let the idea sit and percolate for a night or three, and then, if I still feel excited, I am confident in my yes.

A pause allows inspiration to take root. Last week, I was asked to speak at a rather large meeting with only a day’s notice. I wrote down a few ideas on how to tackle the topic, and then I paused, slept on it, and let my brain do its thing. When I woke up, I knew exactly how I wanted to approach the conversation. A pause may seem passive, but really, it is a space which allows for creativity, inspiration, and clarity to flourish.

“In many a piece of music, it's the pause or the rest that gives the piece its beauty and its shape. And I know I, as a writer, will often try to include a lot of empty space on the page so that the reader can complete my thoughts and sentences and so that her imagination has room to breathe.” - Pico Iyer

IN OTHER NEWS…

My short story, LADY IN BLUE, is live on the Tales to Terrify podcast this month! They do an amazing job with audio productions. Patience Pitman was born with the gift, like her late mother before her. As she oversees the reconstruction of her childhood home, burned to the ground in a fire years ago, she finally pieces together the mystery of the Blue Lady, a vengeful apparition who haunted her youth. 'Lady in Blue' is classic ghost story set in turn of the century New England. Have a free listen to LADY IN BLUE! The story starts at approximately 15:30.

Recently, I spent an hour with my good friend, Monica Rodgers, on The Revelation Project podcast. We talked about everything from relationships, to mountain climbing, to kids. If you want to get to know me a little better, you can have a listen. Writing Yourself Open - The Revelation Project Podcast.

Our new kitten is here! You may know that we recently lost a kitten to sepsis only a few days after he arrived. This baby is our little lost kitten’s half-sister, and she is just the sweetest! Welcome baby Cirilla!

Monday Musings 10-28-19

I wrote my very first horror short story and sold it to a podcast. It’s live now and you can find it here: Tales to Terrify. Voice actor Heather Thomas does an amazing job, and even though I wrote it, I’m still creeped out by it! “Goodbye, Charlie” is the last story of episode 404. Please have a listen and let me know what you think.

This weekend I’ll be signing books at RI Comic Con with several local authors. Come visit me at table 613! I’ll also be moderating two panels:

World Building 101 - Saturday at 1:00 pm in room 552a

The Gift of Writer’s Block - Sunday at 3:00 pm in room 552a

I’ve also officially started writing my next book, tentatively titled Dream Walker. It’s a dark urban fantasy - think Jessica Jones meets Dexter - featuring a kick-ass anti-hero and a by-the-book federal agent. Starting a project is both exciting and scary. It’s exciting because it’s something shiny and new and my imagination kicks into overdrive at the beginning of every new project. But it’s also daunting because it feels like a very long way to the finish line. I know there will be those moments of crippling self-doubt when I wonder how I will ever write myself out of the corner I’ve backed into, or why I ever thought this storyline was a good one to begin with. At least now I can call on experience to know those feelings will pass!

Finally, here’s a picture of Yennefer to help start your Monday with a smile. She’s getting bigger, but still a little fluff muffin!

Monday Musings 6-24-19

This morning I’m on my way to Six Flags to ride roller coasters with a few of my kids and their friends. This has always been one of my favorite start-of-summer adventures and I love that my kids still want me to do this with them.

Because I’m a little crunched for time, I’ll use today’s post to update you on my travel and signing schedule.

August 2-4 - Tampa Bay Comic Con - Three of us from the Association of RI Authors will be signing books all weekend. I’ll also be moderating and presenting on several panels and workshops. More info on that soon!

August 16-18 - Fan Expo Boston (formerly Boston Comic Con) - This was my first con and still one of my favorites. I’ll be signing all weekend.

September 25 - Lively Literati at the Greenwich Hotel in EG - This one’s local so come on down for a “literary” evening with readings, signings, and good conversation.

November 1-3 - Rhode Island Comic Con - Also local! I’ll be there all weekend!

And finally, in other news, I sold my short story Goodbye, Charlie to Tales to Terrify, an awesome podcast. This was my first attempt at writing horror and I’m thrilled someone liked it enough to produce it! I will let you know as soon as they give me an air date.

I’m off to ride Superman. Happy summer!

Monday Musings 6-3-19

A couple of months ago, I sold a short story to a podcast. It’s an incredible experience hearing your words read and interpreted by someone else. This narrator is a British actress and singer, and wow, did she do an amazing job! I just finished listening and I can’t stop smiling.

I love writing short fiction for several reasons: I can experiment with voice, point of view, and even different genres. Short stories only take me a couple of weeks to finish, as opposed to months when I’m writing a full length novel. They force me to pay attention to every word since space is limited, but I still have the satisfaction of completing a full story arc. And, as with my longer fiction, I can explore a theme through my writing. Quest Nine asks what we humans are willing to sacrifice in order to save ourselves from extinction. I know, light reading, or listening, as the case may be!

Thank you StarShipSofa, the Hugo award-winning podcast, for producing this story, and Andrea Richardson for her incredible voice acting. Please have a listen! Quest Nine on StarShipSofa